Guess what? You already know what large format printing is! That’s right, large format printing is a part of pretty much everyone’s daily life - though we may not always realise it. As we move through cities, towns, or even the countryside, we’re surrounded by large format print. From adverts on taxis and buses to directional signs, these bold prints shape our surroundings in ways we barely notice.
In this blog, we’ll dive into everything from how large format printing is different from standard printing, to what it’s best used for and the materials you can print on with us here at instantprint to bring your ideas to life. It’s time to get stuck into print, on a bigger scale!
Table of Contents
What Is Large Format Printing?
What Makes Large Format Printing Different From Standard Printing?
What Is Large Format Printing Used For?
How Long Does Large Format Printing Take to Print?
What Resolution Should My Artwork Be for Large Format Print?
What Materials Can Be Used for Large Format Printing?
Frequently Asked Questions
In Conclusion
What Is Large Format Printing?
Ever walked past a massive, eye catching banner and thought, ‘Wow, that’s incredible’? Well, that’s large format printing in action! In simple terms, large format print refers to anything larger than a standard A4 sheet. Think posters, banners, vehicle magnets, and roller banners. It’s your secret weapon for creating disruptive visuals that demand to be seen.
Large format printing is all about making a bold impact, turning oversized graphics into eye catching displays. From vinyl to fabric and rigid boards, large format printing allows you to create stunning banners, posters, exhibition displays and vehicle graphics anything designed to grab attention and make a statement.
Printing large format requires specialist technology, far beyond your standard office printer. A perfect example of this is our EFI VUTEk h5, the only one of its kind in the UK. Built for precision at scale, it delivers sharp, vibrant images without compromising on quality, no matter the size. Thanks to advancements in digital printing and our recent investment in cutting edge technology, we’re proud to offer industry leading quality in large format prints ensuring your visuals make a lasting impression every time.
What Makes Large Format Printing Different From Standard Printing?
Essentially, large format printing takes everything up a level compared to standard printing, think bigger size, sharper details and specially curated materials for each product!
Size and Scale: The biggest difference? Size! Standard printing is all about smaller formats like letterheads and A4 posters, while large format printing is made for the big stuff - massive banners, billboards, and building wraps that grab attention from afar. It's the perfect choice for visuals that need to be seen and remembered!
Resolution and Clarity: Our format printers deliver vibrant, sharp images even at huge sizes offering resolutions up to 2400dpi. It’s all about creating bold, eye-catching prints that make an impact from any distance. For more information on how to prepare your large format artwork for print check out our handy guide.
Materials and Durability: Standard printing sticks to paper, but large format printing gives you endless options vinyl, fabric, canvas, and even rigid boards. Plus, all the materials at instantprint have been tested and expertly selected for the best results ensuring your products are built to last, with weather resistant, UV stable inks that keep your prints looking sharp, whether they’re outside in the elements or in high traffic environments.
In short, large format printing is all about big visuals, big impact, and big durability. It’s perfect for any project that needs to stand out and stay strong!
What Is Large Format Printing Used For?
Large format printing is all about making a BIG statement. Whether you’re promoting your business, launching a new product, or setting the stage for an event, these big, bold visuals are designed to grab attention and make sure your message doesn’t go unnoticed.
Where do you see it in action?
- On the Road: Whenever you travel down the motorway or through towns and villages, banners are often seen outside shops and on bridges and roundabouts. These eye catching displays are designed to get your message seen loud and clear, no matter where you are.
- Building Exteriors and Pop up Shops: From Correx® signs for short term promotions to long lasting aluminium signs for your brand, or even foam signs that go with you wherever you go, signage is versatile for any business.
- Trade Show Displays: Roller banners, exhibition stands, and stretch fabric displays are the secret to standing out at exhibitions and events. They’re perfect for drawing a crowd and creating unique, memorable experiences.
- Vehicle Graphics: Turn your fleet into moving billboards with branded magnetic signs. Whether on the road or parked up, these graphics ensure you’re always getting noticed.
Who’s using it, and how?
- Retailers: Use vibrant posters to showcase sales and seasonal promotions that draw customers in.
- Restaurants & cafés: Take it outdoors with eye catching pavement signs that stop passersby in their tracks.
- Corporate brands: Stand out at trade shows with bright, bold exhibition stands that demand attention from the moment you walk into the hall.
- Outdoor event organisers: Make the most of durable signage and flags to guide visitors and create an atmosphere at festivals, sports events, and outdoor activities.
- Graphic designers: Create jaw dropping artwork that turns heads, from poster designs to large curved stretch fabric displays which create the perfect backdrop.
From shop signs to stadium billboards, large format printing brings your ideas to life - bigger, bolder, and brighter than ever before.
How Long Does Large Format Printing Take to Print?
For the average printer, large format can be quite time consuming to produce … Not for instantprint. Thanks to our dedicated print streams which enable us to print industry leading quantities at industry leading speeds. Depending on the complexity and size of the job, turnaround times can range from 1–5 days (Yes, that does mean some of our large format products, including roller banners and aluminium signs are printed on the day you order them, ready to be delivered the next day!). So, whether you’re ordering a quick batch of posters or prepping for an event, you don’t have to wait weeks to get your hands on your print.
Of course, if you're dealing with extremely large quantities, that might take a little extra time. But if you're preparing for your next campaign or event, the process is quick and painless. Just make sure to get your artwork in good shape, and you’re all set!
What Resolution Should My Artwork Be for Large Format Print?
Resolution is key when it comes to large format printing. If you want those big prints to look sharp and not fuzzy, you’ve got to make sure your artwork is up to scratch. For large prints, 150 - 300 dpi (dots per inch) is the sweet spot - the higher the resolution the better. Anything lower, and you’ll risk your print looking pixelated or blurry - especially when you’re blowing it up to large sizes. No one wants to see that! (Lower dpi does still work well with large format when viewed from a distance). You also need to ensure that the document is set up to match the exact size of your print and set up in CMYK if you want to prevent any nasty surprises - don’t worry, we make it easier for you with the handy templates on the product pages across our website.
It’s super simple to ensure your artwork is print ready. Adobe Illustrator and other professional design software are your best friends when preparing files. They let you set the right resolution and they give you the tools to check if your artwork is at the right quality. So, double check your artwork before sending it for print, and you’ll be good to go, and if you need any more help, check out our blog on how to maintain image quality in large format printing.
What Materials Can Be Used for Large Format Printing?
From aluminium (which is durable and weatherproof) to fabric (perfect for those flags which grab everyone's attention on the go), the material you choose depends on your specific needs. At instantprint, we’ve expertly curated a range of stocks perfect for each product to help you get the best results in your print to come out sharp, vibrant and durable. Here’s a breakdown of some of the most popular materials which our experts have hand selected for large format printing -
- 440gsm Banner PVC: Great for both indoor and outdoor use. It’s weatherproof, durable, and perfect for attention grabbing products like exhibition stands and roller banners.
- 370gsm Mesh PVC: Ideal for events, construction sites, or storefront promotions, mesh banners are ideal for turning heads with vivid, eye catching graphics on Mesh PVC banners.
- 360gsm Kavalan Greyback (PVC Free): The ultimate eco friendly banner solution. Great for making bold statements on PVC free banners while staying kind to the planet.
- 500mic PVC: A hybrid PVC and polyester blend which gives you the perfect balance of durability and a professional finish, ensuring the graphics on your exhibition display stands pop like never before.
- Stretch Fabric Display Polyester: Crafted from 100% polyester, this 260gsm fabric is the secret behind creating stunning, high impact displays, providing vibrant colours across all of your stretch fabric displays.
- 330gsm Banner PVC: Say goodbye to curling edges and hello to impactful roller banners. Our 330gsm PVC has a grey back which blocks out light, keeping your design crisp and flawless.
- 110gsm Flagknit Aeromesh: Perfect for grabbing attention, whether you’re at an event or just adding an extra touch to the entrance to your premises, the 110gsm flagknit aeromesh is waterproof and sunproof, keeping your flags flying high with vivid colours.
- 0.85mm Magnetic Vinyl: Sticking up a sign has never been easier. Whether you’re looking to pop a magnetic sign on your vehicle or take them to different events, the super strong magnet combined with a gloss white PVC film will help you make an impression wherever you go.
- 2000mic Display Board: Whether you’re looking for cardboard signs or strut cards, the thick, durable 2000mic build helps your displays stand strong while catching eyes wherever you need them to shine.
- 3.5mm White Correx® by Corplex: Sturdy, durable and weather resistant, this corrugated plastic is perfect for short term displays from estate agency for sale signs to bollard covers.
- 3mm White Foam PVC: This smooth, versatile material is perfect for every application. From striking POS displays to durable shop signage, foam signs are like the swiss Stanley knife of signage.
- 3mm Aluminium Composite: Strong, sleek and built to last, you’ll find aluminium signs perfect for a tough, lightweight impact resistant sign, giving a premium finish both indoors and outdoors.
- 220mic & 400mic Matt White PVC: Ready for everything the weather may bring, these are found in waterproof posters which are built to take on the elements while keeping your messaging sharp and professional. Pop them straight on a wall, or put them in an A-Frame, the choice is yours.
- 205mic Backlit Film: Perfect for when you want to light up your designs with premium 205mic backlit posters. Perfect for popping into lightboxes, these posters are high impact glowing masterpieces, making sure your message steals the spotlight.
- 150gsm, 250gsm 350gsm Silk: Our premium silk coated paper which helps produce vibrant colours, crisp details and a sleek finish. Ideal for showcasing posters around your business and across various events.
- Staufen: A flexible material capable to write-on and wipe-off making them perfect for custom whiteboards.
Want to find out more about the materials available? We’ve got a whole blog dedicated to this where you can find out more about the best material for your project.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the maximum size for large format printing?
There’s no one size fits all answer to this, but our large format printers can handle sizes up to 3.2 meters wide, depending on the printer and material. Here’s a list of our most popular large format product sizes -
- Signage - 1020mm x 1550mm
- Posters - 1524mm x 1060mm
- Stretch Fabric Displays - 6000mm x 2300mm
- Whiteboards - 841mm x 1189mm
- Banners - 2000mm x 6000mm
- Roller Banners - 2000mm x 1500mm
- Exhibition Stands - 4038mm x 2230mm
Can I print on eco-friendly materials?
Absolutely! If you’re looking for something which is clean, recyclable and PVC free, check out our PVC-free banners, made with kavalan, which is perfect for presenting your message in an eye catching format wherever you need it.
Is large format printing weatherproof?
Yep! Many large format prints are made with weather resistant materials, like our aluminium signs, PVC posters, aeromesh flags, vinyl magnetic signs and Correx® signs, making them perfect for outdoor use. Come rain or shine - your print is ready to hit your objectives.
In Conclusion
Large format printing isn’t just about size - it’s about turning heads, stopping people in their tracks, and making sure your brand, message, or design gets the attention it deserves. Whether you’re decking out an event, promoting your business, or just want to make a BIG statement, large format printing is your go to solution.
With the right materials and speedy turnarounds, there’s nothing stopping you from going bold. So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to think bigger, print bigger, and stand out like never before!
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